


Uncharted Waters

by dracox_serdriel



Series: Her Dark Works [11]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Smut, The Enchanted Forest, The Jolly Roger, Tributes, Underworld, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-20
Updated: 2015-12-27
Packaged: 2018-05-07 21:09:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5470859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dracox_serdriel/pseuds/dracox_serdriel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hades demands tribute from those aboard the Jolly Roger before they leave the Underworld, but returning to the Enchanted Forest presents its own dangers. Emma and Killian discover the truth about the spell hidden in Bald Mountain, and new enemies attack, seeking dark objects and power.</p><p><strong>Her Dark Works</strong> takes place in an alternate universe where Emma Swan was born and raised in the Enchanted Forest. One day, things go horribly wrong, and she abandons her birthright and throne to seek revenge on the Dark One. What happens when a woman born to be the Savior of the Realm joins forces with the Vengeful Pirate of Neverland?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Nine Tails

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hades demands a tribute before the Jolly Roger leaves the Underworld, and Emma learns distressing news about the spell from Bald Mountain.

Emma wasn't sure what to make of Hades. He spoke to her as if he knew her. Not the Dark One, but Emma Swan. She didn't like it.

"Don't give me that look," Hades said. "I'm not here to prevent you from leaving. That being said, if I let a trio of witches and a pirate sail out of here without tribute, what would people say?"

"What tribute would you demand of us?" Ingrid asked.

"A soul," he replied. "Small caveat, it can't be the pirate. Also, it must be a whole person, so the frozen one doesn't qualify. Not unless you can restore her heart."

Emma's stomach constricted. She couldn't sacrifice Ingrid, and if she stayed behind herself, she'd never find Henry. So she asked, "Restore her heart?"

"She's gotta have all her parts," he said. "It's a thing. Ancient Greeks understood."

A spark went off in Emma's mind. She remembered the tray and two boxes she found at Regina's palace. She opened her hand and the older of the two boxes appeared in her palm.

"I do love a show," Hades said.

"Would you like to do the honors?" Emma asked, offering him the prize.

"How kind," he replied. "I believe I will."

He opened the box to reveal a darkened heart, beating wildly. In the blink of an eye, he was next to Cora, shoving it back inside her chest.

"Bloody hell," Killian mumbled.

The ice vanished, and Cora raised her hands, readying for an attack. Ingrid struck her in the back of the head with the torch, releasing a sickening crack, and Cora fell forward. 

"The unquenchable flame?" Hades asked. "Nice. Well, seems like I have my tribute, so, thank you ladies and Captain. But I'm afraid I'll be needing this back."

He snapped his fingers, and the glass ball disappeared from Ingrid's hand and appeared in his.

"I need that to get to my son!" Emma protested.

"This?" Hades asked. "Tell me, Emma Swan, do you have any idea what this is?"

"A spell that can take me to a Land without Magic."

"A spell?" Hades said, amusement apparent in his face. "Is that what you think this is? A spell? Oh, sweetheart, this silver-tongued witch got you good."

"Don't listen to him," Cora said as she regained her footing, despite the blood spilling from her hairline. "That spell has tremendous power. If you cast it, he can't draw on it as a resource anymore."

"Spell, spell, spell," Hades repeated. "Call a spade a spade, huh? This isn't a spell. This is The Dark Curse. That's capital 'The,' in case you didn't get that."

"Dark Curse?" Emma repeated, crestfallen.

"The Dark Curse," Hades replied. "It appears Cora didn't tell you that it destroys the lands of the realm from which it's cast. I'm guessing she also left out the fact that everyone in said realm is subject to the curse. They're ripped from their homes and their memories are replaced with false ones. In a Land without Magic, they lose their happy endings, and time stops for them. They don't age. They live on in misery forever. Hence, The Dark Curse."

"No, that's... no spell can do that," Emma said.

"Indeed, no spell can, but a curse is another story," Hades said. "The last Dark One spent forever trying to get someone to cast it for him. He groomed the Evil Queen for it, even though someone cursed Bald Mountain to the Underworld. I guess he thought he could bargain for it, but Cora's right about one thing. It gives me power. I won't let it go."

"Captain," Cora said to Killian. "Listen to me. You can use the Sorcerer's Hat on him. Even he can't resist that!"

"Did it not occur to you that the Underworld has a ruler for a reason?" Killian asked. "Perhaps trapping the man who keeps the unruly souls of Hell at bay isn't the best idea. Especially when the only person who would benefit is you."

Emma didn't know what to think. If it was true that Hades drew power from the curse, then could she trust his word on the matter? On the other hand, Killian was right, disappearing the ruler of the Underworld was bound to have unfortunate consequences for the living.

Cora threw a fireball at Hades, knocking him sideways. It snapped Emma out of her thoughts, but it also caught her off-guard. She flicked her wrist, and Cora became a statue.

"And to think, I was looking forward to having Cora Mills as a subject," Hades said as he recovered from the fireball. "Relax. You stoned her to protect me, so her statue is an acceptable tribute."

"Wait," she said. "Why do you need the Dark Curse? The ruler of the Underworld can't be lacking in power."

Hades replied, "You see, once upon a time, I traveled the realms. Kind of a big part of the job, going topside to retrieve the more scrappy residents of my humble abode whenever one found a loophole or hitched a ride out of here. Not like it happens all that often, but when it does, it has serious ramifications. It was all fine until some knucklehead stole my cap, which I'd imbued with much of my power. I got stuck down here until someone gifted me with Bald Mountain."

"Any idea who that was, mate?" Killian asked.

Hades smiled and said, "Oh, I know, but I'm afraid telling would qualify as - what do kids call it these days? - a spoiler."

"Spoiler?" Emma repeated.

"Right, your realm doesn't have television," he replied. "It'd ruin the story for you."

"Ruin the story?" Killian asked. "How can something that happened in the past ruin the story for us?"

"Also a spoiler," Hades said. "And our time together is coming to a close. So, thank you Ingrid of Arendelle, Captain Killian Jones of the Jolly Roger, and Emma Swan, Savior of the Realm and Dark One. You have really made my night."

"Wait," Emma said again. "Would you leave Cora and the Dark Curse with me if I could restore something lost to you?"

"If you have something of mine, sweetheart, you better give it back," Hades replied dangerously. 

"If I did, and I'm not saying I do, but if I returned something that was once yours, would that qualify as tribute? Would you consider giving me the Dark Curse as a gift?"

"You mean like how the Queen of the Maritime Kingdom gave you the Unquenchable Flame?" Hades asked. "My gift to you are the souls of this man and woman leaving my realm, Miss Swan. Don't over step."

"But you'd consider it?" she asked.

"Sure, why the hell not?" he replied. "You've only got another ten minutes before the last hour of your journey, and I have to vamoose. So, knock my socks off quickly, Emma Swan."

Emma opened her hand and summoned the Helm of Darkness, which she kept tucked away in Killian's cabin. Hades' eyes became aflame with joy when he saw it, becoming larger and larger as a Cheshire grin spread across his face.

"I believe this is yours," Emma said. "At least, that would explain why the Helm of Darkness is also called the Helm of Hades."

His laughter boomed out of him, filling the entire Underworld, echoing and shaking the lands of the realm.

"You found it!" Hades exclaimed. "This is the finest tribute I have ever received! My long-lost cap returned to me by Emma Swan, Savior of the Realm and Dark One."

He took the Helm of Darkness in one hand while considering the Dark Curse in the other. After a few moments, he said, "Catch!"

He tossed the glass ball in the air, and Emma caught it. She looked back to thank him, but he was gone.

"Emma, you should leave that here," Ingrid said. "You can't cast that curse, not after what he just told you."

"Don't worry, there's a place that I can cast it where it won't hurt anyone," she replied. "Except someone who deserves it."

"As much as I believe a debate is in order, Hades was correct that our ascent is coming soon," Killian said. "Perhaps we can leave the discussion to a later date."

"Ingrid, could you take Cora below deck?" Emma asked. "If our departure is as rough as our arrival, you'll both need to be tied down so you can't fall off the ship."

"Isn't she... she's not dead?" Ingrid asked.

"No," Emma replied. "Listen, I know you must have a lot of questions, but I didn't tell you about being the Dark One because it needs to be secret. Once I make it to a Land without Magic, it won't matter anyway."

"And you're willing to destroy a realm to do it?" Ingrid asked. 

"I don't know," Emma replied.

Ingrid gave her a mistrustful look that made her insides squirm, but she nodded and created a trail of ice down so she could slide Cora's statue below.

"Promise me we'll talk once we're home," Ingrid said.

"I promise."

With that, Ingrid pushed Cora's below deck, and she followed stiffly. Emma felt her emotions crawling into her throat, choking her up. That look on Ingrid's face, that was why Emma hid who she was from her siblings, her friends, and her allies. If everyone looked at her like that, she'd fall apart.

"Emma!" Killian cried.

She joined him on the bridge. Steam filled the air around them, and once again her pirate took hold of the helm as if his life depended on it. Likewise, she grabbed hold of him, her body pressed to his, her chin on his shoulder, her eyes seeing what his eyes saw.

Ahead of them, a pit of fire burned despite the water of the river cascading over it. It was the river's end, and there was no way to avoid it. The flames would consume the Jolly Roger.

But then the sails opened of their own accord, and the steam coursed under them, giving them an incredible lift that brought the prow of the ship out of the water. The sails billowed as the mist carried them up and away from the flame. Their decent had been startling and cold, but their ascent was like falling asleep too close a fire, the heat too hot to stand but not enough to scorch.

The higher they went, the cooler it became, and the sails carried them into a red light that grew brighter and brighter.

"Bloody hell," Killian said. "I can't see."

She conjured a band of cloth that covered his eyes, protecting them from the light while allowing him to see.

"You're a bloody genius, Swan."

She kissed his cheek, her hands slipping in their combined sweat. She wondered if his hands were slipping on the wheel.

She didn't know how long they stayed like that, Killian holding their coarse as they rose into the sky, but after a time the Jolly Roger touched the fiery reflection of the sun as it appeared over the horizon of the sea, the Solar Barque returning to the world with the new dawn.

* * *

Killian Jones exhaled as the Jolly Roger returned to the seas of the Enchanted Forest once again. Emma kissed him, her hands exploring a few naughty places before he removed his own from the helm to stop her.

"Swan, we've passengers aboard," he said.

They were both sweaty from the ascent, and her pungent scent turned him on. But Ingrid was still aboard, and he doubted that she'd enjoy seeing them paw at each other.

Emma went below deck, and for a few minutes, he had the deck to himself in the morning light. The Jolly Roger sailed passed the shores of Emma's kingdom. They came up from the Underworld close enough to the landmass to make out the people gathering for picnic breakfasts on the beach.

Then his attention was drawn by a figure, completely out of place on the shoreline. She wore only leather from her tall-healed boots to her long frock, everything tailored perfectly to her form. Her hair was a shock of white wound in a tight bun, and despite the distance, she met his eye. His heart skipped several beats.

"Emma?" he said to himself.

He began to panic. Had she left his ship? Was she leaving him behind? He blinked, and she disappeared. 

Ingrid appeared at his side, handing him an ice-cold towel, and before he could say anything, he saw Emma coming up from below deck with Cora's statue. His eyes must've been playing tricks on him.

"Much obliged," he said to Ingrid, cooling himself with the towel.

"Emma, this curse," Ingrid said. "Please tell me you're not truly considering it."

"I told you, there's a place I can cast it, a place already blighted," Emma replied.

"Where's that, love?" Killian asked.

"Neverland," she replied. "After we free the Lost Boys, the only one left will be Peter Pan."

Ingrid said, "Emma, casting a curse isn't like casting any other spell. It takes a piece of the person who casts it. It'll leave a gapping hole in your heart."

"The curse of the Dark One has already done that," Emma replied.

"Possibly. Tell me, did you set out to become the Dark One?" Ingrid asked.

"I didn't," Emma replied. "I swear to you I didn't."

Killian spoke up, "She and I came up with a plan to kill the Dark One without becoming him, and it nearly worked. It should've taken me. I was the one who killed him, but Emma saved me from it. She never wanted this."

"That's my point," Ingrid said, pleading. "You didn't choose to become the Dark One, so however bad it is now, the curse will be exponentially worse. Because the only way to cast it is to choose to use it. That choice, Emma... believe me, the price for such magic, it will make you wish you were dead."

Emma was moved by her words, and she was heartbroken.

"Sounds like a punishment," she said. She handed the glass ball to Ingrid. "There may come a day, Ingrid, when giving this to me is the only way to ensure I pay for my crimes."

"You've committed none," Ingrid replied.

"Not yet. But every day, it becomes a little worse," she said. "Promise me you'll keep it safe."

"You have my word."

A fireball hit the deck, and Killian looked up to see a woman flying on broomstick. Her skin was green like a lizard, and she wore a large, pointy hat.

In response, Emma threw a bolt of lightning, and Ingrid lobbed a jet of ice. The witch dodged them with a cackle.

Then she snapped her fingers, and Cora gasped for air, falling to her knees as she was freed from stone.

"Emma, Ingrid watch out!" Killian shouted.

Cora's lips pulled into a taut smile as she launched a fireball at the helm. The force of its strike broke part of the wheel off and ricocheted toward him. Everything went dark.


	2. Loose Cannon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An unknown witch ambushes the Jolly Roger and aids Cora in stealing the Dark Curse. Killian and Emma try to stop the witches from casing the curse and destroying the Enchanted Forest in the process.

Everything happened so fast. One moment, Emma and Ingrid were having a moment together, and the next, they were under attack. The assailant somehow restored Cora. Emma reacted completely on instinct, trading blows with both witches. At one point, the flying witch ran her through with a spear, but Emma knocked the grin off her face with a shattering spell that exploded her broomstick.

When the dust settled, Killian was out cold with splinters of the helm buried in his face and chest, and Ingrid was collapsed on the deck, bleeding and badly burned. Cora and the other witch were in the water, as Emma blasted them off the ship. 

"It's all right, Zelena, we got what we came for," Cora said.

Then they disappeared together in a swirl of green smoke. 

Emma didn't take the time to think about Cora's comment. She summoned the mason jar Ariel bequeathed to her. Its enchanted waters had incredible healing power, for just a few drops restored Ingrid and Killian.

"She took it," Ingrid said as soon as she was well again. "Cora took the Dark Curse, and if she casts it - "

"Fear not," Killian interrupted. "We'll stop the witches. Bloody hell, look at what they did to my ship. How did that green flying one even find my ship?"

"Good question. Cora called her Zelena," Emma replied. "But I've never heard of her."

"Zelena, the Wicked Witch of the West," Ingrid said.

"Cora and her husband were both statues at the time, so they couldn't've lowered the barrier. They definitely planned this, so maybe they figured out where the ship would come up? Even so, she'd need to break through the protection spell."

"Blood magic," Ingrid suggested.

"Sorry, you lost me," Killian said. "Are you saying that all it takes it a little blood to find my ship?"

"She's saying Zelena and Cora must be direct blood relations," Emma replied. "If Zelena was Cora's sister or daughter, then she could find her, even if she was under a cloaked barrier."

"When did the royal families of the Enchanted Forest become so bloody complicated and infuriating?" Killian asked.

"I believe those were two characteristics we've always possessed," Ingrid replied with a smile.

"Could you and Elsa keep the dark objects safe while Killian and I deal with the Wicked Witch and Cora?" Emma asked Ingrid.

"I could, but why? Surely you'll need help dealing with them."

"Cora knows that I'm the Dark One," Emma said. "The last Dark One and her had a... relationship. He taught her, and she has detailed knowledge of the Dark Castle and the Dark Vault. It's only a matter of time before she goes looking for some evil knickknack he had tucked away. Once she knows that his stores have been emptied, where will she look?"

"Your kingdom and this ship," Ingrid replied quietly.

"She may know about you, but she doesn't know about Elsa," Emma said. "The only way to keep those objects safe is to keep them away from people like her."

"Very well, Emma, but be careful," she said. "And if you need help, you need only ask."

"I will. Thank you Ingrid, for everything, and for your trust," Emma said.

Ingrid vanished in a swirl of snow and wind.

"To think we just saved on of those witches from the Underworld," Killian said, still fuming over the damages to the Jolly Roger. "Swan, not to doubt you, but I confess my confusion. Why did you save Cora? After she betrayed you and Ingrid - and though I don't yet know the specifics of that tale, I'm quite certain that is what transpired - it would've been easy enough to allow Hades to keep her."

"I wasn't really thinking about her," Emma said. "We freed the Dark Curse from Bald Mountain, and it took all three of us working together to accomplish that."

"So Hades wouldn't have been able to get it himself," Killian said, cottoning on. "Even though it was in his realm."

"And there was this thought in the back of my mind that, if it we left Cora there, she'd find a way to turn it to her advantage, becoming Hades' right hand sorceress or something, maybe even casting the curse in the Underworld."

"A fair point," he replied.

"Killian, no matter what else happens, we need to take that woman with us."

"Beg pardon, Swan?"

"She's a menace. She wanted her daughter back, so she figured out how to get to the Underworld and back. And she was willing to drag somebody with her to trade souls. She's smart and powerful and evil. We can't leave her in the Enchanted Forest."

"So you wish to reward her betrayal and brazen attempt on our lives by giving her exactly what she wants?" he asked.

"Not exactly what she wants," Emma replied, a smile curling on her lips. "She wants Regina back, yes, but as soon as we take her into a Land without Magic, she'll be powerless. She won't be able to hurt anyone in this realm. That seems a fair trade."

"Aye," he replied. "So, our objectives are to capture Cora and neutralize Zelena?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe we capture Zelena too."

"So, the manifest of our journey to a Land without Magic will include you, me, Cora, Zelena, and Senior?" he asked. "Do you really think it best to amass all our enemies on my ship before traveling to another realm?"

"Only the dangerous and powerful ones," she replied. "And Senior because he asked nicely. Speaking of which, I should probably un-stone him. He might be able to tell us more about who the Wicked Witch is to his wife."

* * *

Killian read the signs of an approaching storm in her eyes, and he worried that Emma was nearing the edge of a deep abyss. She put on a good front, channeling all her energy into finding Cora and Zelena, but the tempest inside her wouldn't be contained forever. Once they had their prisoners in hand, she'd have to face the facts.

They didn't have a way to get to a Land without Magic.

Even if she chose to cast the Dark Curse in Neverland, they'd go to this new realm without their memories. What good would their journey be if Emma couldn't remember her parents or son once they arrived?

He wasn't ready to give up, not nearly. If the Enchanted Forest was exhausted for options, then perhaps Oz or Wonderland would provide new insights. He'd even heard of a place called a Land without Color, where they practiced something more powerful than magic. He was sure there were other realms. He began riffling through the magical tomes Emma left in his cabin, determined to find at least one lead before they went after the witches. 

He dog-eared a promising page and put the book by his bed as he collapsed into the sheets, the comfort of his bed bringing a smile to his face. Given he spent last night awake at the helm, he decided to rest his eyes until Emma worked out her plan.

Killian had the strangest feeling as he drifted off to sleep, like he was reliving a moment, or dreaming the same dream over again. He couldn't recall it properly either time, except he knew Emma was there. Her hair was white and held up in a tight bun, and her attire was tight black leather. 

He opened his eyes, confused, and he remembered that he saw that same figure and outfit on the shoreline when they returned from the Underworld. Emma returned to the deck moments later with her yellow-white hair billowing freely around her, dressed in her simplest traveling garments.

Emma interrupted his musings when she appeared abruptly.

"What do you think?" she asked, showing off her attire.

His jaw dropped. She was in the leather outfit he'd seen earlier, and her hair was in a bun.

"You like it," she said coyly.

"Swan, what's going on?" 

"Listen to me carefully, Captain," she replied. "Are you listening?"

"I'm always listening, love."

"Good. Do you know what this is?" she asked, presenting something in the palm of her hand.

"A miniscule dreamcatcher," he replied.

It happened to be true. The average dreamcatcher was the size of an adult's face. This one, however, was small enough to fit in the palm of his hand. 

"Do you know what it does?"

"It catches nightmares," he replied.

"I made this for you," she said.

"It's lovely, Swan, but I've not feared my nightmares since I became a pirate. I need no protection from them."

"You do," she said firmly. "I made this to keep you safe, Killian Jones. Promise me you will keep it with you."

"Aye, love, I will," he said, clutching it to his chest.

"Killian?" Emma asked. "Killian? Killian!"

 

"Can you hear me? Killian!"

He woke up with Emma hovering over him. She was back to her straw-colored hair and simple attire, and she stared into his eyes with genuine concern.

"Aye, love, I can hear you," he said. "Why do you keep changing outfits?"

"You were asleep," she said. "When I couldn't wake you up, I thought maybe a spell, or - "

"Don't fret," he interrupted. "I was merely having a strange dream about you in..." He didn't complete his thought, his mind wandering to all kinds of unruly places.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to complete your sentence," she said, her hand coming up under his chin.

"Let's just say, there was a lot of leather," he replied, smirking. "It was very... dark."

"Dark?" she asked. "You enjoyed me dark?"

"I enjoy you every which way, Swan," he said, placing a hand on her thigh.

"Even if my heart is filled with darkness? If I've nothing left of the Savior in me?" she asked. 

"I didn't pledge myself to the Savior of the Realm or the Dark One for that matter," he replied. "I pledged myself to Emma Swan, in whatever mantle she appears, with whatever her heart contains."

"How can you say that?" she asked, her hands stroking down his back. "Either you want the light or the dark in me, Captain. You have to choose."

"Do I?" he asked, his voice scarcely more than a whisper. "One day, I sail with the Savior of the Realm, and the next, the Dark One, and the day after, some combination of the two. So long as Emma Swan is at my side, what does it matter?"

"The darkness could eat Emma Swan alive," she said, her hands dipping into his trousers, grabbing his ass.

"Let it try," he said, his hand slipping under her tunic, his fingers finding her nipples and rubbing them erect. "I've lived with plenty of darkness in my heart, Swan, and it changed me. Made me a pirate, someone to be feared. It gave me anger when I felt so defeated I wanted to die. It gave me strength when I was in some much pain I thought I'd never get up again."

"Milah?" she asked.

He nodded stiffly as his hand moved to her trousers, his fingers skimming her hip bones before diving under her undergarments and going straight to her most sensitive spot. She gasped in surprise at the touch, and one of her hands fisted in his hair, holding his head in place. She stared at his lips as he curled his fingers over her sensitive bud, and she suppressed a moan by biting her bottom lip. Then she licked her lips, and suddenly he wanted to kiss her more than anything else in the world.

 _Bloody siren_ , he thought, realizing that she was tempting him. As soon as he started to kiss her, they'd be done talking, and he wasn't finished yet.

He sat up and spun her around so that her back was to his chest. Her hands came to his sides, rubbing small circles into his hips. He tugged her lower garments down just enough to give his hand room to maneuver before he yanked her into his lap. He started sliding his thumb over her clit as his fingers gathered wetness from her folds. Then he plunged them in, adding one after another. He went at a measured pace to draw it out as much as possible as he continued whispering in her ear.

"The darkness didn't consume Killian Jones and fashion a puppet in my place," he said. "No more did the light burn me out and leave nothing but a shadow, and make no mistake, I'm not half as strong as Emma Swan. She's made of fiery stuff that the light cannot outmatch and the darkness cannot smother. So go on, Swan. Fill your heart with light. Fill your heart with darkness. Change it at your whim. I don't have to choose and neither do you. Even if your heart is dark, it's still more true than mine has ever been."

As soon as he finished speaking, his free hand turned her head, allowing him to capture her in a kiss. She moaned into his mouth as his thumb swirled over her clit, his pace quickening as he deepened the kiss.

He was already straining against his trousers, the feeling of her arousal on his hand enticing him beyond measure. Her hands grabbed at his hair and stroked his groin as she broke the kiss to moan his name, her walls clenching around his fingers as she came without warning. Her entire body shuddered with pleasure, and a few moments later she slumped against him.

Killian moved swiftly, grabbing her at the hip and shoulder as he stood, ready to position her on the bed while she was still coming down from her climax.

But he wasn't quite fast enough.

She pushed her hips back, hard, causing him to groan at the fiction and throwing him off balance. Then he had the wind knocked out him by her elbow striking his solar plexus. His knees hit the edge of the bed, and he crashed back onto the sheets.

At first he wondered why she'd hit him, but when she bore down over him, he saw her eyes blackened with lust and her lips pulled into a wicked smirk. That told him everything.

Her heart was certainly filled with darkness right now.

"So Captain, you want me, darkness and all?" she hissed, her body covering his. 

She disappeared his clothing to the other side of the room, leaving him in nothing more than his boxers. Her fingers grazed his hard-on through the thin fabric, making him grit his teeth to hold back his moan.

"I'm a pirate. I'm not afraid of a little darkness."

Killian sat up. He didn't have any magic, so he resorted to hauling her tunic over her head and latching on to her trousers at the waist, loosing them so they'd fall to her feet. 

Not willing to yield control, she shoved him back into the bed, vanishing her own garments so she was in nothing but a bra and her soaked panties.

"What if I told you couldn't do anything of the things you liked, pirate?" she asked. "What if I said, no touching?"

Thick vines came out and snagged his wrists, drawing him up all the way on the bed and tying his arms to either side of the headboard. He wiggled uselessly against the restraints, knowing she made them too tight to slip. His eyes went to hers, challenging her.

"There's so much more that I enjoy," he replied.

"You like control," she continued, crawling over him, her fingertips gently ghosting his skin. "You like having me your way, getting me to relax so you can have me just how you want me."

She came very close to his face, so he pushed is head forward so he could bite her neck, his teeth nearly drawing blood before he began to suck, his tongue smoothing over her skin.

She pushed his head back and smacked him across the face. 

"Bad pirate," she said. "Now I have to take something else away."

He relaxed into the bed, letting his arms go slack in the restraints. She loved to change the rules without warning, to wind him up, to make him beg. Two could play at this game.

She drew a groan from him as she pawed at his cock, staring at him with lust. She playfully took down his boxers, and he sighed as the cold air hit his erection. She stood over him, and for a moment he wondered if she might leave him here like this, naked, tied down, and desperate for her touch.

"Looking," she said. "You like to look. You like to watch me come, to see me cry out your name."

"You'd love it to, if you could see you," he said, licking his lips. "You put on quite a show."

Emma took one of his sashes and wrapped it around his head, covering his eyes. His heart pounded hard in his chest as he realized he couldn't see a thing. He struggled against the bindings, but his hands wouldn't move.

"That's better," she said.

_Bloody siren _, he thought as she pressed kisses into his shoulders, his neck, and around his collarbones. She pushed all his buttons, so all thought of beating her at her little game disappeared from his mind.__

She proceeded to cover every inch of his body with her lips and tongue, occasionally nipping at him. He moaned when she started in on his nipples, unable to contain himself any longer. She kept working until he was trembling under her ministrations. He couldn't see her, but he felt her lips smile against his skin whenever he mumbled her name.

A hand wrapped around his shaft, the unexpected touch sending ripples of pleasure through this body. She jerked her hand just a little too hard, eliciting a hiss from him as well as a groan. Then he felt heat hovering over him, and in anticipation, he planted his feet on the bed for leverage.

She lowered herself over him, sheathing his cock inside her. Her moan matched his this time, and he pictured her on top of him, riding him. Her hands came down over his neck and chest, touching him wherever she could reach as she moved up and down at a maddeningly slow pace. 

He couldn't see her face, but he knew if he could she'd have a triumphant look right now.

"Emma, please..." he groaned as she kept her movements shallow. 

"Say you want me," she whispered. 

"Gods, Emma, I want you!" he yelled.

Her nails pinched his skin as her hips rose higher, plunging deeper. He screamed nonsense as she ground herself down over him, and he began thrusting back up in earnest, their hips pistoning together as she cried out in pleasure. The angle changed, and her mouth was on his, her tongue darting into his mouth.

She was right, he did like to watch. He liked to watch her come undone and falling apart all around him. His imagination took over for his eyes, envisioning everything he felt: her shivering flesh, her soft lips, her sly tongue, and her warm breath all over him. Every sound and motion she made resonated inside of him, and it was absolutely incredible. He wanted to touch her, to make her come, but his hands wouldn't budge.

Then one of her hands left him, and he felt it graze his happy trail, and he bit back another moan when he imagined her touching himself while riding him. A few haphazard thrusts later, and she shouted as her walls began to clench around him. He tried to hold out, to drag out her orgasm longer, but she leaned over him as she came down.

"Come for me, Captain," she ordered.

And his entire body bucked as he obeyed, spurting inside her as she rode him through his climax, his body burning with maddening pleasure as the restrains left bruises on his wrist. She collapsed on top of him, her head by his, their hot, sweaty skin touching from head to toe.

He was utterly spent, so when she untied him and removed the blindfold, he was content to draw her close and hold her, panting to catch his breath.

"You still sure you're all right with the darkness in my heart?"

"You were marvelous," he replied.

She curled against him, and he drifted off to sleep.

 

Killian woke to a sudden shaking. His eyes opened to meet Emma's.

"Hey, we need to get going," she said.

He glanced out the window. It was dark.

"What's going on, Swan?"

"Sidney contacted me from the Dark Palace a few minutes ago. The Wicked Witch and Cora are there, plotting," she replied. "Apparently, Zelena wanted to cast the Dark Curse to punish Oz, but there's something wrong. She can't cast it. It might just be the window we need. And you can't fight witches naked."

"Don't underestimate me, Swan."

"Fine, I'd be too distracted if you fought naked," she replied, planting a kiss on his cheek. "Get dressed and meet me on deck."

"Yes milady," he said.

She left as he donned a pair of boxers. He took out a fresh pair of trousers, but his vest from earlier seemed clean enough. Before he put it on, he felt a curious lump in one of the front pockets. He dug it out with two fingers, and his eyes went wide as he saw the tiny dreamcatcher that Emma had given to him in his dream.

* * *

Emma delivered two days' rations of bread, cheese, and water to Senior, who was locked in the brig as a precaution. The last thing they needed was for him to riffle through their belongings while they were off the ship.

"You'll be safe here," she said. "I'm the only one who can find this ship, barring any blood relatives you might have."

"Regina is the only one," he replied sadly. 

"You'll see her soon enough."

Emma returned to the deck, where Killian was waiting with a cocky smirk plastered on his face.

"Do you remember when you gave me this?" he asked, holding up a pint-sized dreamcatcher.

"I didn't," she replied. "But I remember you had that in your saddlebags when you came to the Dark Castle."

"I did?"

"You did. Why so confused, Captain? It's just a dreamcatcher."

"Aye, but I've never seen it before today. I dreamed that you gave this to me to protect me."

"Well, then you should keep it on you," she said. "Close to your heart. Maybe your dream will come true."

She kissed him, and his hands wrapped around her, pulling her closer.

She broke the kiss and put a finger to his lips. "There will be time for distractions after we steal the Dark Curse back."

"Very well, love," he said, tucking the dreamcatcher into his vest pocket.

She grabbed hold of his arm, and silver-and-gold mists surrounded them, transporting them to the ballroom of the Dark Palace. 

Her stomach clenched. This was where she lost her son, and the memory of that churned inside her. 

She couldn't sense them with her magic, which made her wary, but it was possible they cloaked themselves. Now that Cora knew Emma was the Dark One, she wouldn't be taking any chances.

Killian drew his cutlass, and they began searching for any sign of Cora or Zelena. They went through all the rooms, again, this time looking for Sidney. Not only was there no sign of them, but there was no sign anyone had been living here recently at all.

They did a quick search of the grounds, but Emma knew before they started that they'd turn up nothing.

"That genie must've lured us out here," he muttered.

"Why bother? It's not like they ambushed us. They might've forced him to contact me to throw us off their trial, buy some time to figure out... whatever they have to figure out."

"No one's been in here in weeks, Swan," he replied. "At least, no one's been living here."

"Which is odd, isn't it?" she asked. "This is where I picked up Senior just a few days ago."

He sighed in exasperation and said, "Bloody magic... no offense, love."

"I agree with you, bloody magic," she said. "Cora and the Wicked Witch must've cast a spell to cover their tracks. Hang on."

She summoned the mirror that was once Sidney's home, and it appeared in front of her. She cast a locator spell, and it floated in midair before it raced off in the direction of the Dark Palace.

"Swan, what - "

"Locator spell. Follow the mirror," she said, interrupting.

They ran after the looking glass, which led them down into the dungeons and came to a stop at a locked cell.

"Anyone here?" Killian asked. "Hello?"

She set the mirror aside and sought any sign of recent spell work. She found a very fine thread woven into the reality around the cell, and she pinched it in her fingers. One good, hard tug loosened it, revealing one miserable Sidney. She unlocked the door with magic, but he didn't try to leave.

"Are you real?" Sidney asked.

"Aye, mate, perhaps you'd like out?" Killian asked.

"Thank you," he said as he left his cell. "You freed me again, but I fear you've done it at your own expense."

"What the bloody hell is that supposed to mean?" Killian asked. 

"Cora knows you are the Dark One. I didn't tell her," he said. "Somehow she found out, and she and the Wicked Witch set a plan in motion. They know of someone who desperately seeks the Dark One Dagger for their own gain. Someone with the means to find it, should it remain in one place long enough."

"They had you call us here to distract us," Killian said. "Swan, get us back to the ship."

"Wait, Sidney," Emma said. "Who? Who can find the dagger?"

"I don't know," Sidney replied. "I don't know the how or the why, but I do know whoever-it-is wants that dagger."

Her heart pounded hard in her chest, drumming up a dark red rage.

"Sidney, thank you," she said.

Then she grabbed Killian and mists of red-and-black surrounded them, taking them back to the ship.

"Where did you hide it?" Emma asked him.

"Swan, before we just accept the man at his word - "

She interrupted, "Killian, please, we can't risk that he's right."

"It's hidden on the ship," he said. "And no one, save for you, can find the ship, correct?"

"Yes," she replied. "You're right. Blood magic is the only thing that can overcome the barrier I set up."

She buried her face in his shoulder, relief washing over her, and his arms embraced her tightly.

Killian said, "Now that we've returned, I should check on our prisoner. I won't have anyone say that the Jolly Roger is inhospitable."

She kissed him, and he disappeared below deck.

* * *

Killian shouldn't be in this good of a mood. They hadn't recovered the Dark Curse, nor had they discovered Cora's plans. Yet he couldn't help but smile as his fingers slid over the dreamcatcher. He should've been put off by something that he could only remember from a dream, especially after he found it in his vest. But for some reason, it elated him.

He made his way to the brig, and his heart stopped. The door was wide-opened. The cell was empty.

Killian wasn't worried about Senior. He had no magic and hadn't given them any reason to assume he'd harm them. But if he was out, that could only be because someone let him out.

He had to check on the dagger immediately. He ran back to his cabin and found an older man and woman, unconscious on the floor. Given their attire and adornment, they were wealthy. Though the woman had a heavy gauntlet on one hand, which seemed out of place.

He saw _Seafaring Histories_ opened on the floor, and his entire body felt weak. That's where he stowed the dagger before he left. He reached inside and groped around, but he knew that the dagger wasn't there.

"Emma," he whispered. "Oh, gods, Emma..."

Killian grabbed anything nearby that seemed like it would help, including the sleeping powder pouch and his throwing knives. Then he crept out of his quarters, staying below deck to maintain the element of surprise.

Screams erupted on deck. Emma's screams. Killian wanted to drive his cutlass through those witches' hearts.

"Don't fret, dear, it's unbecoming. I promise you, my only intent is to make you cast the Dark Curse," Cora said. "Stand still, Dark One."

"Where's your pet pirate, Dark One?" Zelena taunted. "We'll need his assistance."

"I order you, Dark One, tell me where your pirate is!"

"He went to check on our prisoner in the brig," Emma replied stiffly.

"Oh, I'm going to love this," Zelena said.

The Wicked Witch came down the main hatch, walking to the brig with too much confidence for Killian's taste. But it would take her time to get there and back. His best chance was to get the dagger away from Cora now.

He walked up the stairs and peeked out as best he could without revealing his position. Cora had the dagger out, and Emma was standing, stark-still on the deck. His blood boiled. No one had a right to treat Emma like that. 

He came out of the hatch with powder and throwing knives flying, straight for Cora, but she held up a hand and halted them mid-flight without even turning around.

Then he had to dive out of the way to dodge her fireball. 

"Didn't I tell you I'd be ready for that?" Cora asked.

Before he could launch another attack, Cora raised her hand, and all the air was stolen from his lungs. His feet were raised off the deck, and he couldn't breathe.

"Killian!" Emma shouted. "Stop it! Stop it!"

"Oh, Emma, there's no need to shout," Cora replied, throwing Killian at her feet. 

He gasped for air as he stood, wrapping an arm around Emma, who still couldn't move. He didn't have any idea what to do next, not so long as Cora had the dagger.

"Emma, love, I'm sorry," he said.

"Not your fault," she replied. 

"I'm afraid you and your pirate will be parting. So if you have goodbyes to say, now's the time." 

"What do you require from us?" he asked. "You have the bloody curse!"

"That we do," Cora replied. "The trouble is with the ingredients. Specifically, the last ingredient. The heart of the thing you love most."

"So you want to cast the curse but don't have it in you to make the sacrifice?" Killian spat.

"Silence!" Cora said, choking him with magic.

"Stop it!" Emma cried. "Stop it!"

"Now that we have all we need, you can cast the Dark Curse and find your parents," Cora said, smiling. "But your pirate won't be making the trip."

Killian laughed, despite the fact that he could barely breathe. It was a harsh, humorless laugh that echoed across the water.

"You find this funny?" Cora asked. "I control the Dark One with this blade. I order her to do something, she must do it. No matter how much she loves you, she won't be able to save her."

"I'm... not... the thing she loves most," he said.

"What did you say?" Cora demanded as she dropped the choking spell.

"Emma doesn't love me," he replied. "And I'm certainly not the thing she loves most."

"We'll see," Cora said. "Dark One, I order you to tell me who you love the most."

"Henry," Emma replied immediately.

"Dark One, I order you to answer me. Who is Henry, and where is he?"

"Henry is my son. He's in a Land without Magic."

Cora's expression went from calm and in control to snarl of contempt and rage. 

"I order you to tell me the truth!" 

"I am telling you the truth," Emma replied. "My son is the one I love most, and he is in a Land without Magic."

"Things are starting to make much more sense," Zelena said as she joined them on the deck.

"There you have it, Emma can't cast the bloody curse," Killian said. "Give the dagger back and leave."

"Give it back?" Cora asked. "Why on earth would I do that? It's funny, I was impressed when I heard you were the Dark One. You went so far out of your way to keep that secret from everyone. Then I realized you weren't being shrewd, you were simply ashamed. And there's no reason to waste all that power on the likes of you."

Killian went for the desperate ploy, turning to Zelena and asking, "Why are you helping her?"

"She's my mother," Zelena replied.

"Aye, but she can't cast the Dark Curse," he said. "Not won't. Can't. Because the one she loves most is Regina."

"Are you trying to turn us against one another?" Zelena asked. "Oh, darling, you might be evil, but I'm wicked."

"You're her second choice," he snapped. "The fall back child. Your mother should want to rule this realm with you, but she doesn't. She wants Regina, her real daughter. Any guess as to why? I'm betting it's the green scales. Regina might've been an evil bitch, but from what I've heard, she's quite a beauty."

Killian felt a force rip him off the deck and slam him into the water, where the waves dragged him down, down, down.


	3. Getaway Hitch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Cora uses the dagger to control Emma, stolen memories return to Killian, and they may provide the key for saving the woman he loves.

Killian was warm in bed as he woke gradually. His lips twitched as he felt the body next to his, and he smiled when a hand lightly touched his chest, making lazy circles.

"Killian," Emma whispered. "Can you hear me?"

"Hmmm," he replied, not opening his eyes. He wanted to stay just like this for a few more minutes.

"Listen closely, Killian," she said, her voice a soft whisper. "I told you about the grounding wire. It's like those polls used to catch lightning from the sky, directing all the damage away from people and buildings, except it catches dark magic. It will protect you from magic by sending it through you to me, where it can do no harm. But there's something about it you don't know. Something I didn't intend or expect. It's dangerous, though, Killian. You need to be careful."

"Strange pillow talk, Swan."

"I'm being serious. You won't remember this conversation until you need to," she said. "But when you do need to know this, you must be careful. Promise me."

"I promise," he replied automatically.

"The grounding wire can work in both directions," she said. "Magic can pass through you to me, but you can also draw upon my magic and wield it yourself. It's not easy. Magic works on emotions, and strong ones at that. Not just strong, but fierce. So if your emotions are on fire and you focus on your goal, you can conjure up what you need, Killian. I hope you'll never remember this, that you'll never have any need for it. But if you do, remember that all magic comes at a cost, and I don't know what the price will be. It might be a cloud of darkness over your heart, or you might become just as dark as I am. I hope you never have need to consider his, Killian, because it would destroy me to see anything like that befall you. And deep down, even though I've never said it, you know exactly why."

She kissed him, her lips gentle and tender on his, and then they were gone. He opened his eyes to find himself alone in his cabin.

 

Killian was cold and wet. Not just wet, but submerged. His eyes snapped open and burned with the sting of salt water. He remembered that Cora knocked him into the water.

_"You won't remember this conversation until you need to."_

He didn't have much time. She was going to kill Emma to become the Dark One. He pushed himself to the surface, gasping for air.

She said he could draw on her magic, so long as his emotions were fierce. All he needed beside that was a goal. His emotions were more than fierce, they were pitching into an inferno, his anger burning as wrath. And his goal was simple: regain possession of the dagger. He focused on his goal, channeling his rage and his love into that one single purpose.

Something came up under him, right between his legs, and he instinctively shifted as if riding in a saddle.

Whatever it was seemed much like a horse, and it carried him up and out of the water. His hand went to his cutlass, and when he drew it, it glowed white-hot, steaming the water right off of it.

His steed climbed up the side of the ship as if it galloped over land, finally leaping onto the main deck. The Wicked Witch was at the helm, and Cora stood in front of Emma, the dagger swinging down to her heart. The creature's cry mimicking a tidal wave, and Cora faltered, shocked by the noise. 

The wrath in his heart mingled with his love for Emma, and all he could see was an evil witch before him, ready to snuff out her light. He screamed as he rode forward, his cutlass raised.

Cora said, "Dark One, I command you - "

Before she could finish, his cutlass met her throat, driving through her neck. He expected blood, but his weapon cauterized the wound as it was made, making a completely clean decapitation. Once the dagger fell to the deck, the creature he rode became nothing more than a wave of water, slapping against the deck. 

He landed easily, and he felt it. The darkness, dark magic, whatever it was that Emma was afraid of, reaching every part of his body, filling him up. The power was intoxicating and maddening at the same time. He was ready to burn the whole world to the ground.

"Mother!" Zelena screeched. 

Emma grabbed the dagger, and it vanished. 

Together she and Killian looked up at their one living enemy: the Wicked Witch of the West. He imagined all manner of ills for her: flaying her alive, cutting out her heart, drowning her in the ocean. The possibilities were endless.

Perhaps Zelena was getting a better measure of her opponents, for she seemed genuinely afraid. She backed away, no doubt ready to flee, but then she promptly fell over. 

Killian felt the power vacate him entirely, and he wondered if it was because he attained his goal. He didn't know, but it left him feeling depressed and hollow.

"You get her?" a man asked.

"She's out cold, but I've no idea what to do with her now," a woman replied.

The man and woman who were unconscious in his cabin had apparently come-to and were now standing on the bridge. 

"Excuse me," Killian said. "Who the bloody hell are you, and what are you doing on my ship?"

"My apologies," the man said. "We mean no offense in boarding your ship without permission. My wife and I were on a quest when two sorceresses bewitched us. We woke up below deck only moments ago."

"Who are you?" Killian demanded.

"My name is King Arthur, and this is my wife, Queen Guinevere, of Camelot."

* * *

Emma had no idea what just happened.

Killian had returned to his ship on a wave of water shaped like a horse, his cutlass drawn and steaming, and he cut off Cora's head. The water he'd ridden up the deck crashed to the deck like the tide rolling in, as if it had been nothing more than water.

The dagger clattered as it fell to the deck, and Emma felt her every bit of herself warm as her freedom returned to her. She gasped for air like she hadn't been breathing, and she grabbed it, hiding it to ensure it didn't fall in anyone else's hands.

She considered the events carefully. Magic was the only explanation for not only his safe return but also his cutlass, but she couldn't have cast it, not under the thrall of the dagger. Killian's previous use of magic was limited to wielding the power of artifacts.

Her questions of how vanished when she saw his face: dark, drunk of power, and hungry for more. His handsome features held something of a shadow, and his lips were in a twisted smile. There was no doubt in her mind that he'd seen her with that very same expression.

He didn't just use dark magic. Somehow, he used _her_ dark magic, the magic of the Dark One. There wasn't time to consider the implications. Emma turned to their remaining foe on the ship, and that's when the two strangers took out Zelena.

"Get off my ship," Killian said to the strangers, not at all the gentleman he usually was.

"Wait," Guinevere said. "We know we boarded without permission, and we don't know which kingdom you serve, but we came here on an important mission."

"You just said you were bewitched," Emma pointed out.

"We were," Guinevere replied. She held up the gauntlet. "This leads you to a person's greatest weakness. We've been searching for an artifact for a very long time, something that will help our kingdom greatly. These two insisted they aid our quest, and when we refused, they took my husband's heart."

Emma checked Cora's body and found a small pouch on her belt where a small heart was still beating. She took it and shoved it unceremoniously into Arthur's chest. Then she searched Zelena's body for any sign of the Dark Curse, but she found none. The time it took bought her a few moments to invent a few palatable lies.

"What you're looking for isn't here," she said. "These witches merely wanted revenge, and they likely lured you here to frame you for my death so that our kingdoms would go to war. I will return you to your kingdom on the condition that you will take Zelena as a prisoner." 

"We thank you for your kindness and your help," King Arthur said. "But please, give me a few minutes before you reject our quest. I was chosen to lead my kingdom by removing a sword from a stone, which by rights revealed me to be the rightful ruler of Camelot. The sword is a powerful symbol of the protection and the magic upon which Camelot was built, but its potential cannot be reached until it is reunited with its sister of the forge."

Something was wrong with this entire situation, but she couldn't put her finger on it. King Arthur and Queen Guinevere were supposedly a great royal couple, yet there was an odd tension between them. It was as if they committed to this quest in an attempt not to keep their kingdom safe but rather to keep marriage together. 

"Sister of the forge?" Killian asked.

"A companion weapon made along side Excalibur," Guinevere replied. "It complements the sword's power."

"Also controls the most powerful dark wizard in all the realms," Emma said casually. "We know you're looking for the Dark One dagger."

"You're Emma Swan," King Arthur said, as if just realizing. "My apologies, I hardly recognized you, the Savior of the Realm. We heard news that you had vanquished that evil creature. That's why we began looking for the dagger in earnest. I assure you, we've neither the need nor the desire for control over the Dark One."

"I'll return you to your kingdom now," Emma said stiffly.

She teleported Guinevere, Arthur, and the unconscious Zelena to Camelot's castle in a whirl of red-and-gold mist.

"I suggest that you stop looking for the dagger," Emma said to them. "If it does still exist, it may have the power to bring back the Dark One. Would you risk that?"

"No, of course not," Guinevere replied.

It seemed as if both of them were put off the idea, which was enough for her for now.

On the pretense of checking Zelena's shackles, she leaned over the Wicked Witch of the West and hit her with a memory-jumbling spell. It would take months, maybe years, to straighten out the memories from the last few months. If she ever remembered Emma was the Dark One, it would be long after everyone stopped believing her.

With that, she bowed to the King and Queen, and she vanished in a swirl of black mist. For some reason, she appeared in the shadow of the Dark Castle, though now it was called Sherwood Castle. It took her a moment to realize why she'd come here rather than returning to Killian.

When she used the magic of the Dark One, it poured into her and coursed through her veins, and no matter the emotion that powered it - rage, fear, pain - she became absolutely elated. But when Cora commanded her with the dagger, choice didn't exist. She felt helpless and empty, which meant she had no power to fuel her magic. Thus, any order given forced her to dredge up negative emotions, even those long-since forgotten, eclipsing and nearly overwriting little pieces of her.

The laughter of the Merry Men cascaded down from the windows, and a warm and cheerful song followed after. 

Emma tried to hold on to herself by remembering happiness and positive events, but it wasn't enough. She needed to witness something good happening right now because of her, and she came here because she turned a place of darkness and fear into a true refuge for good people.

The singing continued, and as the words flooded over her, warmth returned to her heart.

She was Emma Swan, Savior of the Realm, and she was strong enough to live as the Dark One. 

Her heart and mind restored, she teleported to the Jolly Roger, which was already sailing away from its compromised position at sea. Killian had brought up some of the scrap linens to cover Cora's body, but he was obviously waiting for her.

She probably should've said something, but instead she flung herself at him, kissing him passionately with no regard for the dead body on deck.

"Killian, I thought I'd lost you," she whispered. "And you saved me. How? How did you do it?"

He pushed her away, confusion obvious on his face.

"You told me how," he said. "You told me about how the connection between us could work in both directions."

"What are you talking about?"

He fumbled with his vest and held out the dreamcatcher he'd showed her earlier. This time, she took it in her hands and focused on it, willing herself to understand its purpose.

She sensed a memory inside, and she heard herself tell Killian things that she'd never told him before, things that she hadn't even known a moment ago. She stared at it for a long time, unsure of what it meant. It must be true, since he had used her magic.

But this was his _memory_. Someone had trapped it in the dreamcatcher so that he couldn't recall it. But that only confirmed that it was, in fact, a real memory, so why didn't she share it? Had someone impersonated her? How had that person known?

"Emma?" he asked, his hands coming around her waist. "Are you all right?"

"I don't remember this at all," she said. "But I don't care. I'm just glad you're alive."

His eyes lit up. "Likewise, love."

They turned their attention to Cora, who had a number of unpleasant things on her person, including the Dark Curse and most of its ingredients. After stowing it all, Emma teleported Cora's body back to the Dark Palace.

"We could've buried her at sea."

"She's not worth our time," she replied.

"Speaking of, I haven't found Senior," Killian said. "He was in the brig when we left."

"He's not on the ship," she replied. "I've checked. It's just you, me, and that bonsai tree."

* * *

Killian sensed it, her sadness. Perhaps drawing on her magic made him more connected to her, or perhaps he was reading her better than he had before. He couldn't imagine what it was that was bothering her. They had the Dark Curse and the dagger stored safely aboard. She wasn't in any danger anymore.

_But she can't cast the Dark Curse. We still don't have a way to her son._

He vaguely remembered searching for another way, another lead to present her with, but something about that didn't feel right. Whatever pain she was in right now, it wasn't over their struggle to find a Land without Magic.

His passion had been in high gear since he tapped into her dark magic. Somehow it cemented their relationship, sharing something so profound. He wouldn't leave her at the mercy of her emotions, alone and floundering, not on the day when he finally understood so much about her.

"Emma," he said quietly. "Look at me."

Her eyes bored into his, and he saw the storm raging there. She was a fiercely independent person, and he loved her for it. But right now she was adrift in unfriendly waters and not by choice, and she didn't have to be alone. Surely she had spent enough time being strong for the entire bloody world. 

He kissed her, a desperate and needy kiss. It was wet and possessive and ended with a desperate gasp from both sides, and as he looked at her, he realized how angry he was. 

He was furious with Cora and Zelena, yes, but he was also livid over everything else. A few months ago - though it felt like a lifetime - his sole goal in life was to kill the Dark One to avenge the murder of Milah. He sailed with a full crew, taking spoils from ships as he liked and finding bedmates in every port. His loyalties resided with his crew and whomever he else pleased. But now his crew was dead and buried, and all his life - his love, his loyalty, his sword - orbited around this single, maddening woman.

And she didn't even love him enough to cast the Dark Curse with his heart. Of course, that fact saved his life today, so he happily spat it at Cora like it was nothing. But it cut deep, so deep that it tore open an ancient wound from his childhood.

The wound his father left on his heart. 

His mother died before he was old enough to remember her, so his father kept him by his side from an infant. Killian played behind the bar his father tended, learning many things, including how to read, write, and handle numbers from the drunkards that frequented the establishment. When he was old enough to assist his father by sweeping or washing dishes, he did, as did Liam, until they began traveling. His father said they were going on an adventure, a noble Jones tradition, and Killian loved it. He loved the thrill of the unknown, the constant change of everything around him, and he loved his father for showing him the way. 

And then he abandoned Killian and Liam, forcing them to square the debt of his theft, and they were just boys with nothing but each other. That was when he learned the hardest truth in his life: he loved his father more than his father ever loved him. 

He never felt that way with Liam or Milah, but Emma... he loved her with every ounce of strength inside him. And she didn't feel the same. He had accepted it because it wasn't an obvious thing. She relied on him, confided her secrets in him, came to him for food and sex and everything else. She had even bound them together in the name of protecting him.

But he loved her more than she ever loved him. It was selfish and petty, but he begrudged her love for Henry. He envied anyone with a place in her heart, including poor dead Baelfire. He wanted it all for himself.

And he finally allowed himself to feel it, every pint of his bitterness and resentment. She saw it on his face, in every particle of his being.

Then Emma looked at him like he was the only thing in the world, her expression a mix of concern, fear, and bliss. And he saw it in her eyes, unmistakably, for the first time since she'd become the Dark One: passion, desire, and love.

"Give it to me," he said to her. 

"What?"

"The darkness inside you. I can take it," he said. "I've killed a hundred people with this cutlass, Swan. Some as a sailor, some as a pirate. Some in the heat of battle. Some as execution. Some because it was easy. And when you came into my life and changed everything, changed me, those memories didn't weigh me down. But I see it, more every day, Swan. It hurts you in a way it never hurt me."

"Killian, I can't... I can't let you do that."

"Yes you can," he said, his hands coming up under her. "I'm not afraid of a little darkness, love. You don't need to carry it yourself anymore. So don't."

She pushed him away, and he waited. She was anxious. He wanted to remedy that, take her fear away, or at least relieve it for a little while.

When she didn't move toward him, he began to strip. First his belt and cutlass, then his vest and tunic. Then his shoes, socks, and trousers. He would bare himself to her, naked at her feet, on the deck of his own ship. If that is what she needed to see his devotion to her, he'd do it.

He grabbed the drawstring of his boxers, but her hands came of his, stopping him. 

"Killian, what if it... what will happen to you?"

"The connection works both ways," he replied. "You can have it back whenever you like, whenever you need. I know you. You'll not let me fall into the abyss."

She kissed him, and red mist came around them. They were in his - their - cabin, his garments from the deck were folded on the table. She stretched out on his - their - bed. He joined her, and she folded into him, a perfect fit.

"It will change you," she said.

"I have faith that, if it's not to your liking, you will change me back," he said.

Emma put both her hands to his chest, and a heaviness poured into him. His worst experiences, the worst things he'd done, and every pain he ever survived all bubbled up, boiling just below the surface.

But everything he felt melted away when he saw his Emma in a blissful slumber for the first time he could recall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fear not! For Her Dark Works continues with Episode #12 "[The Seven Seas](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5591320/chapters/12884137)."


End file.
